Mmmmmmm... Minty Macaroons: Clean Christmas Goodies

Good Morning, Good Morning, Good Morning! Only 6 days till Christmas! My gosh, how did time fly so quickly?! 

The recipe I've got this morning is seriously so delish it is well worth using up a few of those precious  right-before-Christmas hours! While the recipe explains to make them in "bars" or "sticks" I also poured the chocolate mixture into mini muffin liners and made some mini minty macaroon cups - and both ways turned out fantastic!

Minty Macaroons
6 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil, melted
4 tbsp almond butter
4 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
pinch of salt
1/2 c shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 c pecans

Fill a medium sized pot with 1-2'' water, and sit a medium sized metal mixing bowl on top of it to create a double boiler. Add coconut oil, cocoa powder, almond butter, honey, vanilla, peppermint and salt to the bowl and allow the mixture to melt, stirring gently, 5 to 10 minutes until ingredients are combined.

In a magic bullet or food processor, chop the pecans up into tiny pieces.

Add the chopped Pecans and shredded coconut to the melted chocolate mixture and stir together to combine.

Pour into a 7 x 5'' dish lined with parchment paper.

Freeze until chocolate is set then cut into sticks. Store in an airtight container in freezer. Recipe from www.livinghealthywithchocolate.com

Enjoy! :-)

And to wrap things up... of course! My quote of the day. I really love this one because it shines a light on one of the true keys to success, especially in health and fitness - consistency and dedication.

"Confidence doesn't come out of nowhere. It's a result of something.... hours and days and weeks and months of constant work and dedication." - Roger Staubach

Yours in Strength and Stretchiness,

- Brooke
xoxo

Not-So-Naughty Sweets: Gingerbread Bliss Balls

Back so soon? Ah, I knew those cheesy-eggy muffins would keep you coming back for more! ;-)

This morning we are switching gears a bit from our breakfast focus to mmmmm.... SWEETS! As I'm sure you all know, sweets are absolutely ev-er-y-where! You can run, but you can't hide... ha ha! So, besides incorporating my other Healthy Holiday Tips, whipping up a batch of these super-easy, incredibly delicious Gingerbread Bliss Balls will promise to keep you off the naughty list this year.

Why are these little gems so great? Oh, so glad you asked!

- NO sugar, NO butter, NO oil, NO flour. For real. 
- sweetened with nature's candy: dates
- dates have a super low "GI score" which means the sugars are released slowly and steadily into your blood keeping you feeling full and satisfied longer
- they are only 100 calories a pop and packed with 4 SUPERfoods... score
- they take 10 minutes to make -> whip up a double batch, seal in airtight container and keep them in the freezer until you're called upon to contribute some goodies for a holiday party - easy peasy! 

Gingerbread Bliss Balls
Adapted from Running On Real Food + Nutritionist In The Kitch 

1 1/4 c pecan pieces
1 c quick oats
2 tbsp cinnamon
3 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tbsp honey
1.5 tbsp blackstrap molasses
1 cup dates (approximately 20)
a few grinds of fresh sea salt

Throw pecan pieces and quick oats into a food processor (I use my Magic Bullet because Santa hasn't brought me my long-awaited food processor yet *wink wink Santa*). Process until close to a flour consistency. 

Add cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt to the pecan/oat flour you have created and pulse to distribute evenly. 

Now here's where the dates come in. If you have pitted dates, simply chop them up roughly and add to the processor - if they are not pitted, remove the pits, chop and add to processor.  Process until a nice dough forms. Add honey and molasses to the mixture and fold these ingredients into the dough with your hands. 

 Grab a tablespoon sized chunk of dough, roll into balls, and place on a nice big cookie tray lined with parchment or tin foil. If the dough sticks to your hands while you're rolling, a little water on your hands really helps to un-stick it all :) Put the tray of bliss balls into the freezer to set and transfer into an airtight container or baggie to store. Because these goodies are free from preservatives, they are best stored in the freezer. 

Fit Tip: Dates can be purchased at pretty much any grocery store - and trust me - I've tried them all! Some are too dry, some have those funky little nubs on the end, some are pricier than others. I've found that Save-On-Foods' newest brand is the best - the most moist, fresh, and well priced. Wrapped in a little yellow cardboard box in the Produce section and are called "Bam" dates. But feel free to use whichever brand you prefer, of course!

I hope you all enjoy this delicious, nutritious recipe and am more than happy to answer any questions you have about this recipe or any of the other tips I've provided. 

For now, I'll leave you with one of my favorites.. 

"Success is a sum of several small efforts, repeated day in and day out" - Robert Collier


Yours in strength & stretchiness,

- Brooke

Facebook | @BrilliantByBrooke
Twitter | @BrilliantByB
Instagram | @BrookeNatashaFit

Lean, Mean + Clean Eats: Spicy Turkey Chili with Basil-Bombed Cornbread

Mmmm... how could you not?

Ohhhh another cold, snowy day in Edmonton. If it weren't for my 3 day weekend, I might have been a little bummed! ha 

For those of you who I haven't caught up, I've got some exciting things on the go right now! I have one more test left until I am done my CanFitPro Personal Trainer certification (how exciting, right??!) and have already moved on to working towards my Nutrition Coach certification. Needless to say, my day was full of protein synthesis, muscular concepts, a big ol' mug of coffee and a big cozy fireplace and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Dad's in town from Calgary this weekend and stopped by my place for a quick lunch on his way in and this chili made for a perfect little lunch. (Original recipe cred: Lisa Lavery on chow.com) I picked up a package of Bob's Red Mill Cornbread mix (gluten-free) which I made with coconut oil and used my bestie Christal's little trick -- fresh chopped basil stuffed into the cornbread to add an extra punch of flavor. YUM! You've gotta try this, I'm telling you! A nice warm and spicy meal packed with fiber, protein and veggies... what more could you ask for? Here's the magic: 

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c jalapenos, diced

1 lb ground turkey

3 tbsp chili powder

fresh ground sea salt + black pepper

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1 can diced tomatoes

1 cup organic chicken broth

1 can red kidney beans

2 bay leaves

a few shakes of Franks

Heat oil over medium heat in large, deep pan and once hot, add bell pepper, onion, and garlic - cook until soft (about 5 mins). Up the heat from medium to high, and add ground turkey and jalapenos - cook until no longer pink. Add spices and cook until your house smells like home :-) (about 1 min). 

Add brother and can of tomatoes with juices, crank heat to high until pot simmers. Add rinsed beans to pot and re-simmer. Reduce heat to medium low, add hot sauce and bay leaves, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 30-45 mins and serve with a spoonful of greek yogurt, a few grates of your fav cheese, some fresh chopped cilantro (gives it a great fresh flavor and balances out the spiciness!) and you're ready to rock :-) 

As for my quote of the day, I am almost more excited to share this with you than the recipe!! ha ha This one lights my heart up... no two ways about it. 

“I FOUND EVERY SINGLE SUCCESSFUL PERSON I'VE EVER SPOKEN TO HAD A TURNING POINT. THE TURNING POINT WAS WHEN THEY MADE A CLEAR, SPECIFIC UNEQUIVOCAL DECISION THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO LIVE LIKE THIS ANYMORE; THEY WERE GOING TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS. SOME PEOPLE MAKE THAT DECISION AT 15 AND SOME PEOPLE MAKE IT AT 50, AND MOST PEOPLE NEVER MAKE IT ALL.”

BRIAN TRACY

Yours in strength and stretchiness, 

xo Brooke